Following the leaks of every City Edition jersey on social media last month, the Los Angeles Lakers today have officially unveiled their new City Edition uniform.
We’ll start with some players modeling the jersey and checking out the new court on a tablet.
"Ooooooh Lake Show!"
California Destiny | @bibigoUSA pic.twitter.com/zwoMQXfK4M
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 8, 2024
According to the team, “this season’s City Edition design is inspired by the team’s storied reputation as a franchise that does more than win. The Lakers personality is front and center with ‘Lake Show’ featured across the uniform chest for the first time in team history.”
Word salads aside, the uniform is a purple gradient (fading to black) number. The jersey features a black/darker purple at the top, with black/purple gradient/black neck and sleeve stripes. The words “LakeShow” (I guess it’s one word?) in classic Lakers italic font is in gold on the chest. There is a maker’s mark and an ad above that, and at the upper left, on the top of the arm opening, is the Jerry West memorial band.
The numbers are purple, with a thick gold outline, and backed by a black block shadow.
The back of the jersey will have radially arched NOB in gold. Beneath that is the jersey number, rendered in the same style as on the front.
The shorts will also have a gradient. Side stripes are black/purple, with a wide center stripe of purple gradient running from darker to lighter from top to bottom.
The new uniforms will be accopanied by a special new City Edition court.
As you can see, the court features black keys, with the border surrounded by a thick black band, and then a purple gradient. This is the first time the Lakers will have a specific “City” edition court. It also features 17 stars across the sideline, representative of the Lakers’ 17 NBA titles.
The team is calling these City Edition uniforms “California Destiny,” which follows their 2023-24 “California Dream” City Edition uniform that celebrated the franchise’s beginning in Los Angeles. According to the team, the “California Destiny” progresses the story to recognize what the team has become: a combination of elite basketball IQ and electrifying presentation.
While I want to see these on court (especially to see how visible the ghosted numbers look), I can’t really give much feedback on the City Edition uniforms — every team gets a new one, every year, and it’s all too much. I suppose, as long as the numbers are legible, this one is fine, but like almost every City Edition uniform, it’s completely unnecessary and a merch dump. Since the designers appear to have run out of ideas, they’ve decided to slap “LakeShow” on the jersey front and call it a day. It would have looked better if the designers just put “Lakers” on there — but I guess they feel the need to give it the team’s informal nickname so as to strengthen the “City” bond/aspect of it all.
The Lakers will debut these uniforms for the first time on November 21, along with their new court when they host the Orlando Magic.
Your thoughts?
I have not heard of most of the companies buying uniform ads. What the frick is a Bibigo?
Also, Anthony Davis is looking pretty embarrassed to be wearing that thing.
Also also, they are gonna sell a ton of these.
At least it kinda looks like a Laker jersey?
So, woo?
I’m desensitized due to the overload of new jerseys every year in the NBA. I guess I’ll give this one a 5 out of 10
Gross.
Shit show
My official assessment as a life-long Lakers fan is…. not good. These… are not good. I will celebrate the day that all this City Edition/City Connect baloney goes the way of the dodo. But I’m also not going to hold my breath.
Oh, dear.
Well, I do like that the limited bits of yellow stand out well against the rest. Unfortunately, that’s mostly wasted on the nike logo, whatever that tomato ad is, and not to mention the most embarrassing cutsie wordmark since “The Lou”. It is a nice shade of purple, though.
The gradient would be regrettable if there were just one, but kaleidoscoping them throughout the set seems like a mistake. It feels like some designers discovered that they could produce color gradients, and they’re still obsessed with it. It’s good in some situations, but when you use it haphazardly it turns into mud.
I will say, I think the combination of the block-shadow numbers set against the gradient this way is effective (with the shadow toward the lighter area). I just think the design-creep went way too far with this one, and they didn’t know when to stop.
As a lifelong Lakers fan, these are terrible like most of the city edition/connect uniforms. Lakers have enough throwbacks they can use, just use those as alternates and everyone will be happy.
The Lakers and Celtics should not participate in these shenanigans. I’m so tired of them either doing something that doesn’t look much different from a regular uniform, or it’s just a tweak away from a straight up throwback, or they go way too far. Some teams have great looks that haven’t changed much at all. Leave well enough alone.
Wow. Those are bad. Really bad. Pure garbage. NBA strengthening its position as the worst-dressed league. Congrats.
What an awful uniform.
Fucking terrible
Doesn’t brand recognition matter at all any more? The NBA has completely gone off the deep end at this point. They make Oregon’s football uniform choices look sane and reasonable…these are just stupid and beyond pointless.
Unfortunately, Nike is the intersection of this Venn diagram.
Nice! The purple from the shorts matches the purple from the jersey!
But seriously, are these the first pair of gradient colored shorts in the NBA? I haven’t been paying attention and I still remember that one all-star game jersey where the jersey had gradient colors but the shorts where solid red or solid blue.
I think the shorts actually save this uni. Not sure how to explain it, but the reverse gradient stripes tickle my brain the right way. Makes me think of the Kings too much though
The only thing worse than the uniforms themselves is putting LakeShow on them. Lakers or Showtime (maybe can’t be used ) would have been better.
Horrible on all levels: the gradient, the tacky Lake Show (is the game of pro basketball in LA a scripted show?) the huge ad. But I guess the target group of casual fans who go to games to be on camera or non basketball loving street kids and assorted tourists will love this outfit.
LAME SHOW.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA These were probably designed by some marketing genius at Nike that probably doesn’t even watch sports. To me, it’s some gimmicky way to sell some jerseys. And most of the stuff they tried to do won’t even be visible on the court unless they do a close up.
As a big purple guy, I’m biased. That being said, I would honestly love this uni if it just said LAKERS and not LAKE SHOW. That’s goofy…
“To me, it’s some gimmicky way to sell some jerseys.”
This is the only reason *any* alternate jersey exists.
This City edition stuff really needs to stop. Whoever at Nike dreamed up this BS needs to be let go.
Look, were you to describe this jersey to me I’d probably think “wow I bet that looks terrible”
And yet, seeing it, it works for me, dunno why
Looks like one of those minor league promotional tie-in jerseys. “Friday night is Late Show with Stephen Colbert night at the Crypt! Join the Lakers as they celebrate 30 years of Late Show!”
Looks like something the And1 teams would have worn back in the day. Which is not a compliment.
These look similar to the Kings’ statement jersey. It feels weird when the Lakers use black. However, I will say that these actually do look better than I expected after seeing the leak.
How can anybody think that this is a good look?